


October 17th: Candles

by shenala



Series: Stucktober [17]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2021-01-13 14:16:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21067064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shenala/pseuds/shenala
Summary: A pet-friendly migraine soothing by Steve.





	October 17th: Candles

"Steeeb?"

It shouldn't have been cute, but it had always been the way his name sounded when Bucky was ill, although admittedly Bucky had more experience of being called "Buh" when Steve was the one unwell than the other way around, and it made Steve smile just a little even as his heart wrenched.

"Hi honey" he murmured quietly to the brunet, or at least the part of his head that wasn't completely covered by the duvet.

"My head hurts" came the grumbled reply, rough and congested just like Bucky's breathing. 

"You're ill, sweetheart."

At this Bucky wrenched the covers from over his head and aimed a pitiful glare Steve's way and with a huff, declared, "No I'm not, I don't get ill."

"Kinda looks like you do, Buck."

While Bucky continued to pout, Steve took in the way he was screwing his eyes up at the light barely peeking through their curtains and nodded to himself, migraines always haunted Bucky when he wasn't well so it was no real surprise to Steve to see the first signs of one beginning to edge in. 

When they were growing up there wasn't a whole lot Steve could do when a migraine hit, they only came when Bucky was already weakened by illness and the medicines to actively treat them just weren't available. All he could do was pin blankets over the windows to keep out both light and sound while Bucky burrowed deep into their bed and remind the brunet to drink water regularly. 

Now, though, Steve had an arsenal at his disposal. He'd prefer it if he didn't to be honest as the reason why still made him wince but in the months after Bucky came home, migraines were there more often than not as his brain miraculously repaired itself, his internal filing system working feverishly to regain memories he thought had been lost. At the very least, knowing what helped brought some relief now.

So, with Bucky in bed hovering on that precipe between awake and asleep, Steve gathered what he needed from around the house.

Coffee was out, technically all caffeine should've been, but the small amount in the Jasmine tea was vastly outweighed by how it calmed Bucky so that was the first thing Steve got started. 

Sugar was another thing that only exacerbated the pain for the sleeping former-Sergeant, but they'd found that plain crackers settled Bucky's stomach effectively and always had a box (or three, Steve liked to be prepared) on hand.

Once his work in the kitchen was done, Steve took the tea and crackers, as well as his own food and drink, back upstairs, setting it carefully down before going back to his mission. 

The bathroom yielded the two most effective items in the migraine battle; the first, painkillers, stronger than their usual blend and only for Bucky's head but effective thanks to endless tinkering by Bruce, the only side-effect being minor drowsiness, which wasn't a problem as sleep was all Bucky really wanted in these moments anyway. The second was a cooling patch, it's effects instant when applied to the forehead and soothed Steve as much as Bucky when the deep frown etched across his brow eased. 

A quick trip back to the kitchen had a heatpack in the microwave, this would ease the strain in Bucky's neck from the pain-tensed muscles. 

And then there was just one more step... candles. 

Bucky couldn't handle a lot of light when his head was hurting, and all screens were out for the brunet, but they'd found that candles soothed rather than hurt. Of course, with two new furry members of the household, Steve had recognised the dangers of open flames and already found a solution... LED candles.

With food and drink within easy reach, pills swallowed, heat pack and cooling patch in place, the candles were the final touch as Steve placed them carefully around their room, casting a gentle glow across the still blanketed Bucky. 

Finally, before crawling back into bed with his, he quietly retrieved Jussie and Alpine, warning them to behave but knowing he needn't have worried when Alpine hopped up onto the pillow and curled around Bucky's hair and Justice did the same around his feet, head rested on what Steve assumed was a thigh. 

And just like that, everything was in place. The bedroom door was then shut and Steve slid back under the covers to ease Bucky close, careful to not disrupt man nor animals. 

"Where'd you get the candles?" came the drowsy question, mumbled against his chest. 

"They were Clint's idea, he got a lot of headaches after Loki but didn't want Lucky setting the house on fire."

"I like em." 

"I'm glad, go to sleep Buck."

"Kay, love you."

"Love you too, Bucky."

**Author's Note:**

> These are just things that help me when I have migraines (they're an old friend), obviously different things work for different people.
> 
> shenala.tumblr.com


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